“About time you showed up,” Deb chides Austin, her voice carrying from the kitchen.
He shrugs, shooting me a grin. “I’ve been canceling because I didn’t want to leave you alone.”
“Austin,” I hiss, nudging him with my elbow. I can’t believe he’sbeen skipping dinner with his parents just to keep me company.
“I was thinking my son had forgotten me.” Her words cut off as she steps into the living room, drying her hands on a dishrag. “Oh, Luca! I’m glad you joined us.”
My lips curve into a smile against my will. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t sooner.”
She steps closer, then grips my chin with gentle fingers, tilting my head back and forth. “What happened here?”
Austin tenses beside me, but I chuckle. “Got in a fight with the trees at Austin’s.”
Deb shakes her head with a wry grin, then drops a kiss on my forehead. “No surprise there. You boys always did act too rough in the woods.” She steps back and waves us into the kitchen. “Well, come on now. Art’ll be here in a bit. He’s out feeding the chickens. Dinner’s just about done.”
I can tell Austin doesn’t know what to do with me downplaying my injuries, but I’m thankful he didn’t call me on my shit. Not that I expected him to. He’s been so… steady since he showed up at Damien’s house to bring me back with him.
He’s always been solid, don’t get me wrong. But there’s just somethingmoreabout it now. When we were teens, he was tenderhearted. But now? Now he’s different. Not in a bad way. It’s just easy to see that the years have been kind to him, and in return, he’s kind as well.
It also seems like he knows when to push and when to let me live in my lies, and for now, I need to live in my lies.
We follow Deb into the kitchen, and I sniff the air. “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”
Deb laughs. “Is my boy not feeding you properly?”
Austin scoffs, but I smile. “He does his best, but no one does itquite like you.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re a suck-up, Luca Pierce, but I’ll allow it. Nice to know some things never change.”
My grin grows. At this point in my life, without my own parents, I can’t afford to lose another set. It’s bad enough I’ve gone all this time without talking to Deb and Art.
“That damn rooster won’t quit—” Art’s voice drops off quickly as he catches sight of me. “Well, I’ll be damned, kid. Glad to see you alive and well. C’mere.”
Art holds his arms open, and I stumble toward him. He’s the closest thing to a dad I have these days. It shouldn’t surprise me that he’s still like this. Especially with me. He and my dad were the best of friends, and I know it hit him hard when we lost them.
We hug for a long time, but when I feel tears start to burn my eyes, I step back. “I’m curious what the rooster’s doing,” I say, trying to smile so I don’t break down.
Art shakes his head with a chuckle.
“Chasing him,” Deb says from behind us.
That makes me laugh, and I turn to pull out a chair and take a seat at the table beside Austin. “Oh?”
“Damned thing won’t leave me alone,” he grumbles, walking around the table and pressing a kiss to Deb’s temple before turning to wash his hands.
“Well, what did you do to him?” I ask, and Austin snorts.
“He took his favorite hen away. Told you that you should have put him in the coop before you butchered his hens.”
Deb lets out a tinkling laugh. “He doesn’t chase me. Cutie pie will climb right up in my lap to take a nap.”
Austin and I share a look, then burst into laughter together, and Art sits down at the table. “Yeah, yeah, I learned my lesson. Too late,I suppose.”
Too late for sure. Deb gestures for us to make our plates, and honestly? I don’t need to be told twice. I’m starving. I pile my plate high and dig right in.
This feels likehome.It would be better if Mom and Dad were here, but this is still nice. Being back home with people who know me and appreciate me for who I am. Being surrounded by people who feel like family, and eating a meal cooked by a woman who practically raised me is exactly what I needed today.
Damien’s ghost is still lingering, but I find seeingthesemarks on my skin doesn’t bother me. Not in the way that the marks he actually left on my skin did. Sure, I was running from imaginary Damien while I got them, but Austin tended to them in a way Damien never did. And then I slept in a bed I wasn’t terrified of being in. I woke with the sunlight warming my face and Austin’s humming floating through the house.
